Weโre more than two thirds through the Vertical Challenge season, which means youโre officially allowed to start thinking about the Finals! OK, itโs not technically an official policy โ youโre actually allowed to think about that glorious day any time.
It turns out weโve been thinking about the Finals a good bit lately, and so have our friends and hosts at Jay Peak. Weโre now ready to share some details (which you can also find on ski-vc.com)!
Qualification
To participate in the Finals, one must qualify. At every tour stop, the top three racers in each age/gender category automatically qualify. If one or more of those racers have already qualified at a previous stop, the place goes to the next finisher in line โ fourth, fifth, even sixth or lower if we had a lot of repeat qualifiers. Kids can also qualify for life (yes, for life!) by winning one of our special Chewy Dogs. Those only go to special young people who have shown kindness, resilience, or other qualities indicative of high character.
When you qualify, we hand you a certificate indicating you have done so. At that point, you know youโre in, so make your plans to come to Jay Peak in Vermont on Saturday, April 9.
Making Arrangements To Attend
First, pre-register for the event with both the Vertical Challenge AND with NASTAR. Please note that you need to be signed in to your NASTAR account to register for the finals on their site (which you already are if you participated in a VC race this season). We need the VC info so we can put you into scheduling pods that are convenient for you. The NASTAR registration ensures youโll get timed accurately and that your results will count toward their points system. Registration for the Finals open through April 5.
Please also fill out Jay Peakโs waiver.
Book your lodging by calling Jay Peak directly to make your reservations at 1-800-451-4449. Youโll receive a 25% lodging discount thatโs only Vertical Challenge attendees from Friday, April 8 โ Sunday, April 10, 2022. Give them these two pieces of information:
GROUP NAME: Vertical Challenge 2022
GROUP CODE: 969156
We donโt have rooms held for the group, so bookings are based on availability. Most folks make a whole weekend out of it, but there are a limited number of one-night stays available. A 50% room deposit is due when booking. The remaining 50% is due at the time of check-in and youโll need to provide a credit card for incidental charges
Hereโs their cancelation policy:
More than 14 days prior to the arrival date $50 cancelation charge
Within 14 days of the arrival date, forfeit the 50% deposit
Within 24 hours of the arrival date, 100% of room revenue is due
If you havenโt visited Jay Peak before, hereโs where you check in to your hotel based on which lodging area youโve booked:
Village Condos โ Check-In at STATESIDE HOTEL (STATESIDE)
Slopeside Condos โ Check-In at STATESIDE HOTEL (STATESIDE)
Hotel Jay โ Check-In at TRAMSIDE
Tram Haus Lodge โ Check-In at TRAMSIDE
Golf & Mountain Condos โ Check-In at GOLF CLUB HOUSE (TRAMSIDE)
Timberline Condos โ Check-In at GOLF CLUB HOUSE (TRAMSIDE)
The Day At Jay Peak
To get to the mountain, Jay Peak recommends using Google Maps to navigate to 830 Jay Peak Road, Jay, VT.
Go to jaypeakresort.com or check out their Facebook page to see the latest conditions!
You should know that Jay Peak has LOTS of fun things to do. Youโll have plenty of time to explore the resort, including the water park. Hereโs the VC itinerary for the weekend:
Saturday (Race Day)
7โ10AM: Registration in the IR (International Room) TRAMSIDE
9AMโ3PM: Vertical Challenge Sampling Village opens ~ Games, raffles, giveaways & music on the VC stage. TRAMSIDE
9:30AMโ3PM: Racing takes place on the Interstate Trail. Each race pod has a specific time to race! If youโre a racer who has a young child who needs help, get them through their run first, then return to the top for your own race. TRAMSIDE
3:30PM: Awards ceremony in SAMPLING VILLAGE near VC Stage.
10AMโ10PM: Pump House Indoor Waterpark Open
8:30PM: Fireworks TRAMSIDE
9:30PM: Movie @ STATESIDE THEATER ~ PG / TBD $5 Per person
9PMโ12AM: Adult Aprรจs Party (21 & Over) in the IR (International Room)
Sunday, March 29th
8:30AMโ10:30AM: Crew autograph signing in HOTEL JAY LOBBY
Family members of racers can also get a discount on lift tickets for Saturday when you purchase them onsite. Check out the lift tickets page at ski-vc.com for details.
As with other VC events, weโll have loads of fun games, giveaways, and samples, only ramped up a notch for the Finals.
Stay Up To Date
Keep apprised of all the updated Finals info on the Vertical Challenge Facebook page (follow it if you havenโt already) and on our website, ski-vc.com.
Youโve got the month of March left to qualify, with events still to come in Massachusetts, and Vermont!
